Rondo slams Chris Paul while defending spitting allegations

Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has slammed Rockets rival Chris Paul as a ‘horrible teammate’, while defending allegations of spitting made against him by Paul, following their recent clash at Staples Center.

Paul and Rondo came to blows during LeBron James' Lakers’ home debut, with Paul claiming he lashed out only after Rondo spat on him.

Both players have shared an intense rivalry since 2008, when Paul was picked ahead of Rondo for the US Olympic team despite Rondo winning a championship with Boston the same year.

In an interview with ESPN, Rondo said it was clear the NBA believed Paul over the incident.

(aap)

“Of course, the NBA went with his side because I got three games and he got two,” Rondo said.

“Everyone wants to believe Chris Paul is a good guy. They don’t know he’s a horrible teammate. They don’t know how he treats people. Look at what he did last year when he was in L.A.; trying to get to the Clippers’ locker room. They don’t want to believe he’s capable of taunting and igniting an incident.

“He comes out and says I spit and the media sides with that.”

Rondo, Lakers teammate Brandon Ingram and Paul were suspended without pay, with Ingram suspended four games, Rondo three games and Paul two games.

Paul, who has the highest salary of the trio and was fined a total of $491,782.

Different angles show saliva coming out of the mouth of Rondo while he and Paul are face to face but the 32-year-old is adamant it wasn’t deliberate.

(aap)

“I had a mouthpiece in my mouth and I (was) exasperated because I was about to tell him to ‘get the (expletive) out of here,” Rondo said.

“Look at my body language (in the video). My hands on my hips. I turn away for a second. Look at Eric (Gordon) and Melo (Carmelo Anthony) in the video. If they saw me spit, they would have turned their face up or something. They had no reaction...

Rondo continued: “One, if I spit on you, bottom line, there is not going to be no finger-pointing. If you felt that I just spit on you, then all bets are off. Two, look at my body language. If I spit on you on purpose, I’m going to be ready for a man to swing on me.

“You ain’t going to have my hands on my hip and my head look away at someone if I spit on them. After the [expletive] goes down, within 30 seconds, you run and tell the sideline reporters that I spit on you?

“If I spit on you, you are trying to get to me. You not trying to make up a story so you can look like a good guy. It makes no sense to me.”